Indians at Australian Open: Sania-Tecau fall at final hurdle

Indians at Australian Open: Sania-Tecau fall at final hurdle

Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza and her Romanian partner Horia Tecau’s dream run came to an end in the mixed doubles event of the Australian Open on Sunday.

Canada's Daniel Nestor Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic pairing were nominally the underdogs against their sixth-seeded Sania Mirza and Horia Tecau but wrapped up a comfortable 6-3, 6-2 victory inside an hour on Rod Laver Arena win the mixed doubles at the Australian Open title on Sunday.

Indians at Australian Open: Sania-Tecau fall at final hurdle

Defeat for Indian Mirza and her Romanian partner Tecau denied Asia a second Australian Open champion in two days after China's Li Na won the women's singles title on Saturday evening.

"I've had a good week in the mixed so it's a good start to the year," said Mirza, who no longer plays singles.

Image: Kristina Mladenovic of France and Daniel Nestor of Canada pose with the winners trophy, and Sania Mirza of India and Horia Tecau of Romania pose with the runner up trophyPhotographs: Scott Barbour/Getty Images

Indians at Australian Open: Sania-Tecau fall at final hurdle

It was a third MelbournePark mixed doubles title for Canadian Nestor after his 2007 triumph with Elena Likhovtseva and 2011 victory with Katarina Srebotnik.

Nestor then told his 20-year-old partner Mladenovic on court that he would now like to target a sweep of the major titles to complete the Grand Slam in one year.

"I was half joking but I always tell my friends my best chance of winning Grand Slams nowadays are in mixed," the 41-year-old, who now has won a total of 12 Grand Slam doubles titles, later told reporters.